1. Field of the Art
The present invention relates to devices and methods for cold plasma application, and, more particularly, to arrays of such devices that are formed in an annular shape and methods for using same.
2. Background Art
When infections of deep tissues occur in the body it is often necessary to perform a surgical procedure to expose the infection, manually clean or debride the site, pack it with antibiotics, and initiate systemic antibiotics in an attempt to resolve the infection. In the case of orthopedic infections, where there is hardware of metallic or plastic composition present, the standard course of treatment may require multiple surgical procedures. Since the hardware may be covered in bacterial colonies and there is limited vascularization of the tissues immediately contacting the hardware, the colonization of the hardware often can't be controlled with systemic antibiotic use alone. In the case of an infected total joint replacement, the surgeon will often perform a “two-stage revision” procedure. The first stage involves opening the joint, removing the hardware, debriding infected tissue, packing the region with antibiotic impregnated materials, and closing the incision. Along with systemic antibiotics, the antibiotic materials are left in the patient, often with a non-functional joint complex, for on average 6 weeks. After blood and joint fluid tests suggest resolution of the infection, a second procedure is performed to remove the antibiotic laden materials and implant a new functional joint replacement. In some cases the infection is still present locally even though blood indicators are normal, and the new implant may quickly become re-infected, starting the “2-stage revision” procedure over again. In extreme cases, amputation may be the prescribed course of action for severe extremity infections that fail to resolve after these measures.
It is therefore highly desirable to be able to eradicate a deep joint infection without the need for repeated surgeries and a reliance on antibiotics to reach the site either through the circulatory system or by local, internal, long-term application. The same applies to other bone and deep tissue infections, abscesses, and similar conditions familiar to those in the medical field. As cold plasmas also show promise in the treatment of malignant growths, this array would have use in the treatment of deep tissue tumors, or any disorder that requires greater depth of penetration of plasma, including musculoskeletal pain and inflammation.